NAN-H-42
Tax
Bauchi,Feb.10,2017 (NAN) Bauchi State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) has introduced automated system of payment of tax in all banks to enable tax payers have enough channels of settling their taxes.
Acting Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Yakub Isa, who stated this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi on Friday, said the direct payment to government’s account would help instill confidence in the tax payer.
He said this arrangement, along with others introduced, would help in blocking leakages.
Isa also said that the board intended writing a memo to the state government advising a review of some unrealistic tax charges contained in some obsolete laws.
“The board has introduced automated payment of tax through all the banks in the state, use of POS, as well as online transaction, to enable us block leakages and also make the tax payer pay tax with ease.
“Through the Direct payment system, the tax payer will have more confidence in paying the tax because he carries out the transaction with the various channels and not through our staff, as such he feels
reassured that the money is going straight to government account.
“Furthermore, we also intended writing to the government to suggest a review of some tax rates contained in obsolete laws,” he said.
Isa said the board had intensified its sensitization campaign on the need for people to pay tax both within the formal and informal sectors.
According to him, the board intends updating its informal sector databank that presently has a record of 400,000 tax payers, to reflect current realities on ground.
He said that the major challenge of his board had to do with the informal sector, especially in the area of documentation and record keeping.
“The informal sector is where the challenge is because of improper documentation and book keeping, but we are trying to address the challenge through updating of our database,’’ he said.(NAN)
AE/ASH/ASH